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Round three pin sockets and charging mobile phone


Bel

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Our boat has only three pin round sockets.  Ordinarily we never take a mobile phone , tablet etc preferring to leave them all behind.  For our next trip we need to be in contact with the outside world and therefore need to take a mobile phone and ensure it is charged..  Has anyone any idea how we can charge it please?  The boat is basic with no frills. 

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23 minutes ago, Bel said:

Our boat has only three pin round sockets.  Ordinarily we never take a mobile phone , tablet etc preferring to leave them all behind.  For our next trip we need to be in contact with the outside world and therefore need to take a mobile phone and ensure it is charged..  Has anyone any idea how we can charge it please?  The boat is basic with no frills. 

I assume that the 3pin round sockets re 12V dc?
Will your phone charge off a USB socket? I bought an adapter on Ebay that goes from 12V dc down to a USB outlet. I simply cut the cigarette lighter plug off and fitted a round pin plug. Use it all the time without problems. I'll try and find a link.

This sort of thing:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ytesky-Inventor-Converter-Transformer-Adapter/dp/B07QQ587K3/ref=asc_df_B07QQ587K3/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=345504185242&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3168173608124284322&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006626&hvtargid=pla-751020535191&psc=1

Edited by Guest
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24 minutes ago, catweasel said:

I assume that the 3pin round sockets re 12V dc?
Will your phone charge off a USB socket? I bought an adapter on Ebay that goes from 12V dc down to a USB outlet. I simply cut the cigarette lighter plug off and fitted a round pin plug. Use it all the time without problems. I'll try and find a link.

This sort of thing:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ytesky-Inventor-Converter-Transformer-Adapter/dp/B07QQ587K3/ref=asc_df_B07QQ587K3/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=345504185242&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3168173608124284322&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006626&hvtargid=pla-751020535191&psc=1

Just make sure you understand how the socket has been wired. Often the earth pin plus one other is use for 12VDC to prevent possible damage it  mains appliance is plugged in.

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A multimeter is handy to make sure you get the polarity right. Normally the contact in the centre of the cigar lighter plus is positive, and the casing is negative. Then you can stick the prods into the  round pin socket to discover which way round that is wired. On my boat the right hand one is positive, but worth checking ....

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32 minutes ago, Theo said:

I think that it is a good plan to convert all the round pin sockets to cigar lighter sockets.

 

N

I can't agree.

The round pin sockets will reliably carry significantly greater currents than cigar style sockets are generally capable of, (particularly if you use the 5A variety rather tan the 2A variety).

The latter are OK-ish for simple low current charging tasks, but not really so for anything even slightly more demanding

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10 hours ago, alan_fincher said:

I can't agree.

The round pin sockets will reliably carry significantly greater currents than cigar style sockets are generally capable of, (particularly if you use the 5A variety rather tan the 2A variety).

The latter are OK-ish for simple low current charging tasks, but not really so for anything even slightly more demanding

Totally agree.

Cigarette lighter sockets are best avoided. The cheaper 'plugs' for these frequently aren't solid enough to stay in properly. The 12V usb outlet wired in gets my vote.

John

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On 04/08/2019 at 22:11, David Mack said:

I have fitted some 12V to USB converters like this.

s-l400.jpg

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F352299050716

Just connected the 12V to the lighting supply wires.

Just be aware that these have active electronics in to convert from 12v to 5v for the USB and can take significant standing current even  when nothing is plugged in. Some are very good and take effectively zero, but some will take 30 or 40 milliamps. It's up to your judgement if an amp-hour a day is a significant extra draw on the batteries or not.  If it is, a switch on the 12v side solves the problem.

 

MP.

 

ETA just looked again and the one suggested looks to have switch. Most don't.

Edited by MoominPapa
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4 minutes ago, MoominPapa said:

Just be aware that these have active electronics in to convert from 12v to 5v for the USB and can take significant standing current even  when nothing is plugged in. Some are very good and take effectively zero, but some will take 30 or 40 milliamps. It's up to your judgement if an amp-hour a day is a significant extra draw on the batteries or not.  If it is, a switch on the 12v side solves the problem.

 

MP.

 

ETA just looked again and the one suggested looks to have switch. Most don't.

I picked one with a switch deliberately. It also has a small red light to show when it is switched on.

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40 minutes ago, Floating Male said:

Totally agree.

Cigarette lighter sockets are best avoided. The cheaper 'plugs' for these frequently aren't solid enough to stay in properly. The 12V usb outlet wired in gets my vote.

John

I picked up a small inverter, chopped the cigar lighter plug off the end and attached a round pin plug ... I wouldn't risk using it unattended, but it re-charges the phones and spare battery packs during the day's cruising and runs the laptop in the evening to watch a DVD if necessary.

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13 hours ago, alan_fincher said:

I can't agree.

The round pin sockets will reliably carry significantly greater currents than cigar style sockets are generally capable of, (particularly if you use the 5A variety rather tan the 2A variety).

The latter are OK-ish for simple low current charging tasks, but not really so for anything even slightly more demanding

 

This^^^^.

 

I use a small round 3 pin for the 12 volt TV and these usb adaptors in the cigar lighter sockets to charge phones and tablets.

 

 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anker-Charger-PowerIQ-Technology-Motorola-black/dp/B00VH84L5E/ref=asc_df_B00VH84L5E/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=311081482938&hvpos=1o3&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16315453095591067787&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007147&hvtargid=pla-366540046736&psc=1

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On 04/08/2019 at 18:28, Bel said:

Our boat has only three pin round sockets.  Ordinarily we never take a mobile phone , tablet etc preferring to leave them all behind.  For our next trip we need to be in contact with the outside world and therefore need to take a mobile phone and ensure it is charged..  Has anyone any idea how we can charge it please?  The boat is basic with no frills. 

We use an Adapt It 2-3 pin plug - 12 volt cigarette lighter (from chandlers/caravan shops) with a Ring Mini Inverter 12 volt (from Screwfix no 88988 £24.99).

 

We use it for charging mobile phones and kindles.

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11 hours ago, Pie Eater said:

We use an Adapt It 2-3 pin plug - 12 volt cigarette lighter (from chandlers/caravan shops) with a Ring Mini Inverter 12 volt (from Screwfix no 88988 £24.99).

 

We use it for charging mobile phones and kindles.

I have one of these as my silly laptops and camera can't be charged from a 12V to 19V converter, which my previous one could..
It is a very useful little inverter and surprisingly efficient (though not quite as good as the 12-19 converter.)

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On 06/08/2019 at 22:29, alan_fincher said:

I can't agree.

The round pin sockets will reliably carry significantly greater currents than cigar style sockets are generally capable of, (particularly if you use the 5A variety rather tan the 2A variety).

The latter are OK-ish for simple low current charging tasks, but not really so for anything even slightly more demanding

I think that you are right on that.  I haven't done it myself.  It was an idea that I got from a fellow boater who was busy changing all of his.

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